SEBERANG PERAI, June 19 — Taking a long drive into the rural area of Nibong Tebal just for the sake of fresh boiled molluscs may seem crazy but the drive is definitely worth it, especially when we are talking about many different types of molluscs being served on a platter.

Also, this feast of molluscs is only available for a month once a year — during the month of Ramadan. Boiled or grilled cockles that are served with chilli sauce is a common enough buka puasa favourite at some Ramadan stalls but Norhayati Hassan, known as Mak Siti, went a step further to introduce a variety of molluscs.

Mak Siti checking on the mussels that are being boiled in large pots in the kitchen.

The fisherman’s daughter serves up to 10 different types of molluscs along with the common cockles and before long, she has made a name for Gerai Siput Mak Siti in Kampung Sungai Acheh.

On most days, she has eight different types of molluscs on offer — cockles, clams, mussels and sea snails. In her menu, she listed the seven items she has on offer as: kerang (cockles), kerang bulu (cockles) siput sudu (mussels), kepah (clams), siput duri (spiny sea snail), siput unam (sea snail), siput bintang (sea snail) and siput bayam (bamboo mussels).

According to the 51-year-old, the types of molluscs on offer depend on the supply from local fishermen.

“Like today, I have siput lokan that are rather big and fleshy, but we don’t have kerang bulu and siput bayam today so I will offer the alternatives to customers,” she said.

Gerai Siput Mak Siti is located right next to wide expanses of paddy fields, deep within a village in Kampung Sungai Acheh.

Looking at the bustling open-air stall tucked within a quiet village next to wide expanses of paddy fields, one could not have imagined that Norhayati started the business 28 years ago in a small, makeshift stall next to her house during Ramadan.

“I started out selling boiled cockles and slowly added a few types of siput for variety and before long, I was offering at least seven to eight different siput each night,” she said.

At first, Mak Siti’s stall was known only to those living in the vicinity until about six years ago, she started getting more customers from all over due to social media and features about her being published in local Malay newspapers.

One of Mak Siti’s children cleaning the molluscs before it is boiled.

“When I started this business, I was only selling about 5kg of siput and kerang each day and now, I’m selling about two tonnes each day,” she said.

Strangely, her siput business only thrives during Ramadan while on normal days, she can barely even sell a few kilos of kerang.

“I tried continuing to sell my different types of siput on normal days after Ramadan and initially, I’d get some customers but over time, fewer would come for siput so on normal days, I switched to selling mee udang instead,” she said.

The stall can now accommodate up to 400 customers at one time.

“I think this is probably my rezeki from Allah for Ramadan and each Ramadan, I would make enough to tide me over till the next Ramadan, like a year-end bonus,” she added.

What is so special about the molluscs Norhayati offers is not only the variety but her special peanut sauce that goes with it. The molluscs are boiled to a perfect soft, slightly chewy texture and these are unceremoniously plonked on a large tray before being served with tiny bowls of peanut sauce. The peanut sauce is almost like the satay sauce but is lighter, smoother and has a sweet and sour base to it.

Sotong kangkong is based on Mak Siti’s recipe.

The molluscs are dipped into the sauce before eating and Norhayati believes it is her sauce that had customers coming back for more daily. “I don’t think they come for siput only because anyone can boil siput and sell but they come for my sauce which is my own blend and style that is different and delicious,” she said.

The industrious entrepreneur is not only a good cook but also offers traditional massages for all sorts of conditions from post-partum massages to massages for stroke patients. In fact, before she started the food business, she was working various jobs from odd jobs to fishing. She proudly pointed to the smooth cemented floor and the expanded space of her stall that can sit 400 people now. “I did the renovation myself with the help of my children and husband,” she said.

They also have a local version of chicken chop (left) and cucur udang (right).

“In the kampung, we have to do most things ourselves, unfortunately, I’m not highly educated, otherwise I would have been an engineer,” she joked.

Other than the molluscs, there are also other types of food for those wanting something heavier such as chicken chop, chicken rice, noodle soup, laksa, cucur udang, rojak and sotong kangkong (cuttlefish with water convolvulus). These are all Norhayati’s own recipes that her children helped to prepare and cook.

Though the stall is open only for buka puasa, business only starts later at 8.30pm, and it is open until 2am daily. It is now known as Seafood Mak Siti at Kampung Sungai Acheh. For reservations, call 017-4059709.